Machine for forming pockets in soil



April 12, 1966 E. J. THOMPSON 3,245,473

MACHINE FOR FORMING POCKETS IN, SOIL Filed July 13, 1964 2. Sheets-Sheet l April 12,1966 E. J. THOMPSON 3,245,478

MACHINE FOR FORMING POCKETS IN SOIL Filed July 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR.

F7770 NEY United States Patent 3,245,478 MACHINE FOR FORMING POCKETS IN SOIL Edward J. Thompson, R.F.D., Baltic, S. Dak. Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,143 2 Claims. (Cl. 172240) My invention relates to a machine for forming pockets in soil.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine of this type, which, however, will efficiently form waterreceiving pockets in relatively hard soil such as grassy lawns, etc.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which can be manufactured at a fairly reasonable cost, and which will provide pockets in staggered relation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ma chine which will include pocket forming members which are substantially in the form of blades so that they will be sure to provide the proper pockets in the soil.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which can be hitched to any desired type of drawing vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide special attachments to my device whereby the device can be readily transported over roadways and the like without injury to the parts of the device.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the device,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the device,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken longitudinally through one of the pocket forming blades,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of FIGURE 3 taken along the lines 44 thereof,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of FIGURE 3 taken along the lines 55 thereof,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation showing the transporting arrangements, and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 77 of FIGURE 6.

In describing my invention I have used the character 10 to designate side portions of a framework, the character 11 indicating a rear portion, and the character 12 a forward portion, these portions being made of flat stock, angle iron or any other desired structures.

I have further used the character 13 to indicate a transverse axle member which is suitably journalled at 14a in the side members 10, the shaft 13 passing through a pair of hollow drums 14 containing water for providing fairly considerable weight to the unit, and I have further used the character 15 to indicate raised annular beads at either side of the drums 14.

Attached to the cylindrical drums 14 are a series of pocket forming members indicated generally by the character 16. The members 16 can be hollow as shown, or can be solid, and the members 16 include the side walls 17 which converge to the sharpened edges 18, which edges are practically semi-circular as shown in FIGURE 3, the edges 18 being adapted to provide a penetrating and cutting action in the soil.

The members 16 are suitably welded as at 19, and it will be noted from FIGURE 1 that the various members 16 are in off-set and staggered relation to provide a staggered arrangement of pockets.

The character 20 indicates a further hitch portion attached to the member 12, the character 21 indicating a further hitch portion, the character 22 indicating an opening for receiving a hitch pin or the like.

The device is drawn in the direction of the arrow 23 and it will be noted that the various members 16 due to their shape will provide a continuously applied slicing or cutting action along the portion 18, which in effect will cause penetration into the grassy soil or other hardened soil, the weight of the drums further insuring this effect. The pockets thus formed will serve to conserve rainfall and moisture, which moisture will gradually seep into the surrounding earth areas.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the use of the special devices for transforming the unit into a portable arrangement. In providing portability to such an arrangement it is relatively dii'ficult to raise the heavy framework and drums, and for this purpose I provide a pair of lengthened resilient flexible strips 24 to which are integrally or otherwise attached the fairly resilient lugs 25, the lugs 25 being long enough to pass outwardly beyond the confines on the portions 18.

The strips 24 also include the outwardly extending lug portions 26 adapted to receive the bolts 27 whereby the arrangement can be firmly secured onto the beads 15, the character 28 indicating a lengthened recessed channel in the strips 24 for this purpose.

These lug units are placed on the arrangement by merely digging a trench in the soil suitable to receive the lugs with the strip 24 being faced upwardly, whereupon the unit is drawn forwardly so that the beads 15 will pass into the channels 28, and then the ends of the strips 24 are brought upwardly and bolted together substantially as shown in FIGURE 6.

This particular arrangement will then allow the unit to be drawn over roadways and the like without injury to the dam-forming elements.

It will now be noted that I have provided the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with further advantages being apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention,

and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine for forming pockets in soil comprising a transversely positioned relatively heavy cylindrical member mounted for rotation, a plurality of soil pocket forming elements attached to said cylindrical member, said soil pocket forming elements including substantially semicircular outer cutting edge portions for providing a positive cutting action in the soil, said pocket forming elements being relatively narrow in cross section and including side walls sloping from said cutting edge portions to said cylindrical member, a framework in which said cylindrical member is journalled, means attached to said framework for drawing said framework, said pocket forming elements being in overlapping relation peripherally, means for providing portability to said machine including a pair of flexible straps, resilient lugs attached to said straps, means for attaching said straps at each outer end of said cylindrical member, said lugs extending radially beyond said pocket forming elements.

2. A machine for forming pockets in soil comprising a transversely positioned relatively heavy cylindrical member mounted for rotation, a plurality of soil pocket forming elements attached to said cylindrical member, said soil pocket forming elements including substantially semi-circular outer cutting edge portions for providing a positive cutting action in the soil, said pocket forming elements being relatively narrow in cross section and including side walls sloping from said cutting edge portions to said cylindrical member, a framework in which said cylindrical member is journalled, means attached to said framework for drawing said framework, said pocket forming elements being in overlapping relation peripherally, means for providing portability to said machine including a pair of flexible straps, resilient lugs attached to said straps, means for attaching said straps at each. outer end of said cylindrical member, said lugs extending radially beyond said pocket forming elements, said straps including longitudinal channels, said cylindrical member including peripheral end beads for engaging said channels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Beier l72554 Dehymcl 301-40 Kneen 30139 White l72243 Pace 172-539 McCrary 30144 Greiner 94-50 Barassi et al 152-176 FOREIGN PATENTS ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR FORMING POCKETS IN SOIL COMPRISING A TRANSVERSELY POSITIONED RELATIVELY HEAVY CYLINDRICAL MEMBER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION, A PLURALITY OF SOIL POCKET FORMING ELEMENTS ATTACHED TO SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, SAID SOIL POCKET FORMING ELEMENTS INCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY SEMICIRCULAR OUTER CUTTING EDGE PORTIONS FOR PROVIDING A POSITIVE CUTTING ACTION IN THE SOIL, SAID POCKET FORMING ELEMENTS BEING RELATIVELY NARROW IN CROSS SECTION AND INCLUDING SIDE WALLS SLOPING FROM SAID CUTTING EDGE PORTIONS TO SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, A FRAMEWORK IN WHICH SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER IS JOURNALLED, MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID FRAMEWORK FOR DRAWING SAID FRAMEWORK, SAID POCKET FORMING ELEMENTS BEING IN OVERLAPPING RELATION PERIPHERALLY, MEANS FOR PROVIDING PORTABILITY TO SAID MACHINE INCLUDING A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE STRAPS, RESILIENT LUGS ATTACHED TO SAID STRAPS, MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID STRAPS AT EACH OUTER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, SAID LUGS EXTENDING RADIALLY BEYOND SAID POCKET FORMING ELEMENTS. 